Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-10-12
FARMERS ThXES.
Governor Foraker 8Dd the Valu.
alton Of Farm Property.
THE NAGOGlCAl LIES OF THE
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE AND
NEWSPAPERS NAILED.
A Full Statement Of His Recon- m suds-
tions In That Celebrated Special Nee
sage Made Ny Governor Foraker In His
Speech 1T MiddIetown. October 1.

Speech MtddIetoWn, October I.
Attempts to deceive the farmers on the
subject of Governor Foraker's views on
the subject of taxes have been the prin-
cipal feature OF the Democratic cam
paign. His special message on the sub
ject OF tax values has been misquoted,
misrepresented and lied about in every
township in the state. In his speech at
Middletown. saturday, October /, Gov
ernor Foraker effectually disposed Of
these campaign roorbacks. In the
course of his speech at Middletown no
said:
Mr.. Powell seems to put great stress
upon my special message. claiming that
! was seeking Il revaluation of the real
estate Of the state only for the purpose OF
increasing the valuation of the farm
lands of the state in order that | might
increase their burden Of taxation. do
not know how can better answer that
charge than by simply citing the message
itself. the recommendations il contained,
the Cotempcraneous Democratic news
paper comments. and what further said
on the same subject in my last message.
The message commences by pointing out
the bankrupt condition of the state, a
condition to which it had been brought
by Governor Hoadlys administration,
and by calling attention TO the fact that
while our expenditures had largely in
creased. our sources of revenue had
largely diminished
The chief complaint I made in this
connection was that the aggregate of the
personal property of the state had de-
clined during the two years of HOadly's
administration to the amount of ~, ,0o0.-
600. every dollar Of which adds SO much
to the taxes of the farmers | then
pointed out the fact that many different
kinds of foreign corporations are doing
business in Ohio without being taxed
dollar, and that hundreds of millions of
bonds. stocks and other securities were
not returned at all for taxation. and that
while this was true as 10 personal prop
erty, il was also true, as Mr.. Powell
ought To know, and as every intelligent
man in Ohio does know, that there is no
uniformity whatever, one county with
another, in the valuation of real property.
calling attention in that connection TO
the fact that Mr.. Kiesewetter, the Demo-
cratic auditor of state, and now candi-
date for re election, had collected reports
from the various counties showing this
lack of uniformity and the consequent
inequality of the burdens of taxation and
the hardsh:ps in consequence to all who
We're taxed at anything like full valua-
tion. ! recommended as a remedy, the
only one l Know Of. that laws be passed
taxing all these foreign corporations and
securing more full and complete returns
of cha'tel property, and that the real
property OF the state be reva!ucd in such
way as to secure uniformity and
equality. expressed the opinion that If
such legislation could he had the result
would be that many hundreds of millions
of dollars would he brought onto the tax
duplicate which do not now pay dollar
of tax. and that thereby the burdens
which are now borne by the property
that is taxed would not only be equalized,
but greatly lessened. Does Mr.. Powell
object Ia tins
The Cincinnati Enquirer. the Cieve-
land Plain-D Dealer. the Columbus Times,
the Youngstown \indicator, and every
other Democratic newspaper OF the state,
so far as know, praised and compli-
mented the message and its rccommenda-
tions. No one nouSht then, Democrat
or Republican, that l, or anybody else,
was trying to increase the burdens OF the
farmers OF the state, ana nobody thinks
any such thihS now. Uen. foweli KNOWS
better. Col Taylor knows better, and SO
does every other informed man
''All knew then and know now that the
class Of property which l was after WAS
that which can be put into tin box and
showed 10 one side, out OF sight OF the
assessor on tax listing day, and that l
wanted II brought onto the duplicate. in
order that the farms and lots and houses
and cattle and other visible property,
which can not be so hid and covered up,
might be relieved OF the unjust burden
their owners now have To bear, because
they have 10 pay not only their own
taxes, but also the taxes of those who
unjustly escape. II ought to be enough
10 show the falsity of the whole charge,
% state the simple fact that all the
worldly possessions l have, aside from
.ny household effects, are and were at
the time, three pieces OF real estate.
While would not allow personal consid-
erations TO influence me in connection
with any public or official duty. yet GER
tainly would not be hostile to the dis
charge OF duty to myself or the class OF
property holders to which belong. But
the whole case sought to he made by our
Democratic friends is negatived by the
statement in my message that the pur-
pose of its recommendation WAS to secure
uniformity of valuation and equalization
of burdens, and that 1t was my belief il
this could be done that the burdens of
all now paying taxes would be lighteued.
And the same Is shown, as have stated
more expressly by the statement con-
tained in my last message, that farm
property is unduly burdened, because as
values than we now have, the fact beinC.
as l said in so many words, that much OF